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Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Washington, 1862, Vol. II, p. 13,
says that the "Creek" ball-players first appear on the ground in
costume. "During the play they divest themselves of all their ornaments
which are usually displayed on these occasions for the purpose of
betting on the result of the play."]
[Relocated Footnote (2): The game is also mentioned in An Account of the
Remarkable Occurrences in the Life and Travels of Col. James Smith
during his Captivity with the Indians in the years 1755-1759.
Cincinnati, 1870, p. 78. It is described by Col. William L. Stone in his
Life of Brant, Albany, 1865, Vol. II, p. 448. In one game of which he
speaks, the ball was started by a young and beautiful squaw who was
elaborately dressed for the occasion. Notwithstanding the extent and
value of Col. Stone's contributions to the literature on the subject of
the North American Indians, he makes the erroneous statement that "The
Six Nations had adopted from the Whites the popular game of ball or
cricket" See p. 445, same volume, _cf_. The Memoir upon the late War in
North America, 1755-1760, by M. Pouchot, translated and edited by
Franklin B. Hough, Vol. II, p. 195. A game of ball is also described in
Historical Collections of Georgia, by the Rev. George White, 3d edition,
New York, 1835, p. 670, which took place in Walker County, Georgia,
between Chatooga and Chicamauga. The ball was thrown up at the centre.
The bats were described as curiously carved spoons. If the ball touched
the ground the play stopped and it was thrown up again. Rev. J. Owen
Dorsey in a paper entitled "Omaha Sociology," printed in the Third
Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, etc, 1881-1882, Washington,
1884 p. 230, p. 336, describes the game amongst the Omahas.]
PLATTER OR DICE.
The second in the list of games given by Father Brebeuf is that which
he calls "platter." Writers who describe the habits of the Indians at
the north have much to say concerning this game. According to
Lescarbot, Jacques Cartier saw it played, and recorded his
observations. [Footnote: Histoire de la Nouvelle France par Marc
Lescarbot, Nouvelle Edition, Paris 1856, Vol. III, p. 734.]
Sagard Theodat [Footnote: Histoire du Canada, etc., par Gabriel Sagard
Theodat; Nouvelle Edition, Paris, 1856, Vol. I, pp. 243-244.] devotes
considerable space to it. Both Father Brebeuf, in his Relation in 1636,
and Father Lalemant, in his Relation in 1639, give long accounts of the
game, the causes for its being played, the excesses in gambling to
which it leads, and the methods which prevail in its practice. In
Perrot's [Footnote: p. 50.] work there is a good description of the
game, although not so full as his account of lacrosse, from which we
have already quoted. La Potherie and LaHontan barely mention it.
Latitau [Footnote: Mours des Sauvages Ameriquains, erc, par le P.
Latitau, Paris, 1724, Vol. II, p. 339.] in his searching analysis of
the manuscripts deposited at Quebec, while seeking for traces of his
theory that a resemblance existed between the habits of the Indians and
those of the ancient dwellers in eastern Europe, found an unusual
quantity of material bearing on this particular topic, which he has
reproduced in his book. Charlevoix [Footnote: Vol. III, pp. 260-1.], in
a letter dated June 8, 1721, says, "As I was returning through a
quarter of the Huron village, I perceived a number of these Indians,
who seemed much heated at play. I approached them and found that the
game they were playing at was what they called the game of platter.
This is the game to which the Indians are addicted above all others.
They sometimes lose their rest and in some degree their very senses at
it. They stake all they are worth, and several of them have been known
to continue at it till they have stript themselves stark naked and lost
all their movables in their cabin. Some have been known to stake their
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